Like many other residential schemes of the 1960s the Nordweststadt in Frankfurt requires an update of its building stock, a redesign that meets current and future demands of urban living. A set of transferable, integrative, and low-cost design measures is developed, focusing on three main tasks: Tidying up, the regeneration of neighbourhoods, and the strengthening of identity.

Shrubs and trees are cut back, the parking is reorganized, pedestrian and cycle lanes are being introduced, new public spaces are designed and the courtyards are upgraded by private gardens, new public green amenity spaces and 'light pergolas' - a minimal architecture that connects basement parking with the courtyards and passes over into a podium with seating steps on ground level. The light pergolas enclose a small lounge, an external barbecue, water and electricity connections and a bicycle workshop. During evening hours and at night the pergolas illuminate the courtyard, by day these enable diverse and easy use of the courtyard and strengthen a lively community.

The airport Berlin Tegel is going to be closed down. TXL will be developed as a high-quality research, industry and business park with the profile of 'urban technologies'. A strategic master plan builds the foundation for a flexible - and therefore, robust - planning process. Developmental guidelines and a profound system of rules create a structural, programmatic and creative quality of strategic important subareas.

Simultaneously, more flexible developmental options are being allocated for other areas. ‚Quarters' profiles' emphasize existing potentials of subareas and strengthen the specific identity. An integrated concept for energy and water supports sustainable development: biomass, geothermal energy, wind energy and photovoltaics provide regionally generated energy. Gray and rainwater is being collected, refined and reused regionally. An urban aerial railway connects the site with the station and the tram. Here, the aerial railway is not only an efficient, sustainable means of transport but also represents sustainable mobility in terms of the site's profile.

Over the past decade, many gaps in building blocks have been closed in the city of Gütersloh. Various areas have been upgraded or restructured. With the integrated action plan, not only the urban design of the city will be further sharpened. With the participation of diverse actors, new prospects for the long-term development of the city are presented.

Strategic decisions are prepared to make the city centre adaptable for changing spatial requirements in the future. The integrated action plan defines key objectives for development. Conceptual and design requirements are defined for e.g. functional mix, open space planning, or traffic issues. These recommendations are implemented and spatially located in a strategic master plan. On this basis, future developments and project proposals can be tested and evaluated and individual measures can be derived.

Freiburg is a growing city where more and more people want to live. How can the city continue to be developed in a sustainable way? The Perspectivplan elaborates spatial development options for the City of Freiburg in the next 10 to 15 years. In the course of designing, built-up areas and open spaces are conceived and developed together. Based on a differentiated (GIS)-structure analysis, so far undetected potentials are made visible, development strategies are pointed out and by means of scenarios a future spatial image with a complementary structure plan is generated. The project has been developed in a cooperative process with stakeholders, the municipality, politics and the public.

www.perspektivplan-freiburg.de

The concept Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C, Michael Braungart et al.) is based upon the idea of a circular economy in which resources are not consumed but are continually used. The feasibility study explores how this concept can be transferred to the development of industrial parks: C2C-principles for the design of buildings, open spaces and infrastructure are developed and a structural plan for a test site in Bielefeld, Germany, is laid out.

Moreover, an energy system for the whole area is designed and C2C-prototypes for buildings and open space situations. The approach of the study is holistic and interdisciplinary and its planning recommendations can be used for the development of new industrial areas as well as for the transformation of existing sites. The study is part of the INTERREG-IVB project „Cradle to Cradle Business Innovation & Improvement Zones. C2C-BIZZ". Please contact us for the entire feasibility study.

Zhuhai is growing. The challenge now is to make this growth consistent with landscape and waters against the backdrop of climate change. The aim is to minimize the intrusion in nature due to ecological and economical reasons and by doing that to create a high quality of living in the city.

The sponge city principle provides a convenient strategy for this purpose. Diverse water systems for the regulation of tides, flooding rives and heavy rains are not only integrated into the city structure but also utilized to provide various leisure and recreation facilities. In Combination with the local landscape and water characteristics, the sponge city principles shape a unique cityscape. In order to do that the project develops a city typology and various waterfront strategies which are transferable and versatile tools for future urban planning.

Yueyang is a growing city in the Chinese province of Hunan. In cooperation with hydrology, water management, and water ecology experts as well as landscape architects, we developed a masterplan with the aim of a new adjustment of urban and open space development in the course of water quality improvement.

The masterplan analyses the spatial and programmatic potentials of the Nanhu (lake) and the surrounding build-up and open space structures and develops them as a blue-green infrastructure. That improves the city's interconnectedness and the accessibility of green spaces. A catalogue of sponge city strategies proposes transferable concepts for a structure related integration of sponge city principles. The blue-green-black masterplan merges the strategies and delivers design approaches for different types of waterfronts and city profiles.

For the growing city of Holzwickede, a long-term development concept is elaborated. The brief was a model for the overall city area and the definition of several urban development zones, with will be the focus of future city development. The recommondations for action are further concretized and located in a planning framework.

The strategic project process starts off with spatial, social and historical analysis, then describes area profiles and development goals and strategies. Zoom-ins of the focus zones show more contrete provisions and exemplified spatial strategies.

On the basis of the integrated action plan and the strategic development chances, processes can be verified, evaluated and arranged in the future, such as individual actions can be derived.
The integrateted action plan is accompanied by a civic activism process and cooperation with the local goverment.

Alternating the inner-city freeway B3 offers chances of enormous quality. In place of a disruptive gap with high infrastructural means, a continuously livable city can emerge along the freeway. A city that is balanced multimodally with all its functions, spaces and atmospheres. The integration of transit spaces as well as thinking built environment and free space together enables a programmatic diversity and synergies which can react to change. Besides the task of keeping up the traffic flow, barriers, noise and emissions are being reduced and inner-city plots are being reclaimed for urban developments.

The chosen street section in the "Leinemasch" minimizes the intervention in the landscape. The Willmerstrasse is being transformed into a lively city street with high living and sojourning qualities by implementing a tunnel for the freeway, starting from Schützenstraße. East of the Hildesheimer Straße a Tunnelpark emerges with high qualities of open space for the adjacent urban areas. In addition to optimizing the freeway itself, sustainable mobility and transport are being valorized massively: Ricklingen in the west and Döhren in the east are connected with a bicycle highway and a tangential busline.

The building's structure is based on the static elements pillar, plate and gate as well as the every few minutes incoming trains. A natural passage from Luckernwalder street to the signal box and the park connection south is build up by the viaduct facades of lines U2 and S21. They could easily be activated by contemporary commercial usage for the traffic centre "Heart of Stations".

In sum, a unique specimen is generated, creating a special atmosphere and spatial quality between the tracks and towards the park. In the north-south direction, the slender, 17-storey superstructure is extended over the property. It is adapted as a rostrum and stage to the park and fits into the heterogeneous property structure between ICE lines and stations. In the base area, four gates allow the train transits and significant visual references in north-south as well as in east-west direction. On the various levels, " heavenly" spaces for non-commercial transit and temporary users are integrated into the structure of established users and anchor tenants.

This urban design aims to create an attractive living environment for young families and couples and to give a new impulse to a large social housing estate from the 1960s. The existing open block structure will be maintained but is transformed into a structure with semi-private courtyards.

Different typologies - i.e. houses with ground-level access, apartments with open floor plans - add variation to the housing supply. Within the building blocks, elevated courtyards create a safe environment for social interaction between inhabitants, especially young families. Notwithstanding their open character, these courtyards offer a clear visual and functional border between public and private spaces.

Between the blocks, a sequence of car-free squares that draw on the surrounding structure contributes to a lively public space. To keep spaces as car-free as possible, most of the parking is organized in underground garages which are accessible from the edges of the block. By drawing on the existing structure, and by continuing the green belts and the existing rows of trees, the design creates a strong link with its surroundings.

How does a newly developed city district become a vibrant place to live?

The characterful landscape of Freiburg with the surrounding Schwarzwald serves as the decisive basis for the newly designed district Dietenbach. The four emerging quarters will be connected by a ring boulevard. In contrast to the generous open spaces, which serve as decelerated exercise and relaxation areas and make a significant contribution to nature and species protection, pulsating life takes place here. The new city centre serves as a bracing supply center and community reference point with symbolic centrality. In addition to the 5,500 residential units, new jobs and schools will be created in the 108-hectare area, which will complete the new living environment.

Integration into the urban, functional, and landscape context
The new district Dietenbach is structured by the iconic landscape, especially the eponymous Dietenbach.

The resulting open spaces ensure the supply of fresh air and a stable microclimate. The former course of the Käserbach river has been reactivated and serves as partially communal garden land. In the region of ​​the school and sports campus, this zone also includes play, sports, and recreation areas that can be used by the public.

In contrast to this, the new centre of the district as a communal supply center offers space for weekly markets, city festivals, outdoor areas for restaurants, and water features. There are also retail stores, gastronomic offers, and services. The building plots of the compact quarters address different market segments. A large number of construction site sizes, building heights, building types, and locations provides a large typology mix and thus offers a lot for different target groups.

Mobility concept
The mobility concept pursues the goal of reducing motor vehicle traffic, car ownership, and the number of parking spaces. This makes an important contribution to an attractive living environment, affordable living space, and environmentally friendly transport. It is achieved by creating attractive offers for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, public transport with light rail, as well as offers for car sharing and e-mobility, and also by parking in district garages in less sensitive locations that are up to 200m away from the apartments.

In its current state, the Guitanghe River harbours complex problems for the urban development of Changsha. In addition to frequent flooding events, there is a lack of integration into the city. The river forms the backside of the city, which is reflected in a lack of accessibility and unsafe, littered riverbank zones. In the rapidly growing metropolis, there is also a lack of green meeting spaces that regulate the urban climate.

The aim of the integrated masterplan is to emphasise the river as a central and lively lifeline in the city and to significantly increase its ecological, urban, social and cultural significance. Based on the flooding problem and different water levels of the Guitanghe, the result is a dynamically reacting urban design that considers water as a variable in the dimensioning and programming of spaces. A field of urban experimentation is being created where innovative water management and urban planning concepts intertwine and give the growing city an ambitious, positive and future-oriented perspective.

The river is therefore of great importance as the central and linear centre of the city, which offers opportunities for urban development improvements in addition to water management measures. As a green lung, the Guitanghe strengthens the urban ecosystem and creates new identity-forming spaces for local recreation as well as social and cultural infrastructure on its banks.

In the long term, the river and the green-blue corridors emanating from it can connect the city of Changsha both within the city centre and to the outlying areas and neighbouring recreational and nature conservation areas.

In recent years, the Bundesviertel in Bonn has transformed into a successful business location and headquarters of the United Nations. Today, the district in the former federal capital faces new challenges to remain and become attractive as a location for companies, politics, international institutions and congresses and at the same time as a 'piece of the city'. The aim of the framework plan is therefore to show an integrated approach for future development.

One of the main goals of the structural concept is to preserve and strengthen the identity-creating areas and to develop the inner potential areas structurally and openly in a sustainable manner. With the increase from currently around 4,000 to around 15,957 inhabitants, new needs arise in terms of supply and socio-cultural infrastructure.

The Bundesviertel of the future is urban mixed, offers affordable and attractive living and working space, is characterized by social and cultural, sports, leisure and supply offers as well as high-quality open spaces. Through more and a variety of living spaces, commuters become residents. As a sustainable location, the Bundesviertel is changing from a simple office location to a work landscape ('work-life blending'). A crisis-proof and innovation-promoting mix of industries offer employees an attractive working environment.

The concept is rounded off by a high-performance transport infrastructure that guarantees quick accessibility and good internal networking: An important role model for the traffic turnaround: cycle paths and footpaths are being greatly expanded and public transport is being strengthened.

At the junction between the media harbour area and the economical harbour area, a vibrant district is created, which has the interlacement of space, atmosphere and program as its principle. An encounter place for working, researching, inventing and recovering with a strong connection to the water arises. Two differentiated loops form the basic open-space framework. Central is the entirely experienceable loop of the leisure harbour with the urban city beach, green terraces, rowing club, marina and the "Kesselplatz" - square at the top of the peninsula.

Future-oriented is also the industrial harbour, which fits like a second cycle in the system, as the industrial world 4.0 changes. Both "ports" get their new head-end structure through the Pier-One. The loops are connected via 6 public spaces, so-called braces, which pave the way for three squares - Kesselplatz, Hafenplatz and city beach - creating customized meeting places for visitors and residents equally. The urban structure is also characterised by the intermeshing of typologies and promotes innovation, creative work and vibrancy. This "striking harbour mixture" with towers, halls and bars forms the identity-creating and highly flexible structure for a vivid and multifunctional quarter.